Studies in contemporary history have traditionally focused on change. The period studied is certainly a time of major changes, but it cannot be fully understood without taking into account the continuities, survivals, and legacies of the past. Legacies may be seen as either blessings or curses, but they last longer than often appears to be the case. While they do not prevent the historical dynamics of change occurring, they do have a profound effect on them and give them shape. No individual, collective or community can quickly and easily rid itself of its legacies, but they can’t be kept alive for ever. All of us are trapped in history and are saddled with our past. And this means that a given moment in history cannot be explained satisfactorily without taking into account the problems of a past that may also offer solutions.

Contemporary history teems with conflicts, violence, crises and other traumatic events, all of which leave lasting legacies and may trigger vicious or virtuous circles. Whether major events result in social and political paralysis or, conversely, economic and cultural creativity, they always leave either an intangible or a more tangible legacy. Intangible legacies may include the thinking of intellectual elites, the conditions for political debate, and persistent social movements, while tangible legacies of a more economic character may be related to the perpetuation of poverty or new opportunities for prosperity inherited from previous social agreements and efforts. 

The past is often commemorated in very specific places and objects, tangible evidence of a past that is turned into heritage. Despite their testimonial and symbolic character, the memorialization of spaces and the historiographical musealization of objects also have a profound effect on today’s society. They may either help to keep historical legacies alive or to break with the past and turn the page towards a new chapter of history. 

The Contemporary History department of the University of Barcelona invites those who wish to present their field of interest in the terms set out above to attend a conference on legacies at the university. We welcome people from all over the world, both long‐standing experts and those who are at the beginning of their academic career. The conference is entitled “Herències: Herencias: Legacies” and will be held on 20, 21, and 22 June, 2022. The aim of the conference is to provide a meeting point for historians from different historiographical positions and to cross disciplinary boundaries, generating synergies with researchers from other fields in humanities and social sciences. Our hope is to establish an open dialogue amongst researchers in different fields that enables mutual enrichment and a deeper understanding of these unique and decisive historical junctures. 

The organizing committee invites proposals for the different panels on legacies in the Contemporary era. Proposals may be in any of the three official languages of the conference — Catalan, English, and Spanish— and must be submitted to legaciesconference22@ub.edu by September 30, 2021. The proposal should be sent in a Word document and must include a description of the nature of the panel along with the full name, institutional affiliation, and email address of the proposers.